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The first month of the 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge is complete, and we couldn’t be more excited to share the results of the competition thus far. In the month of June alone, the Challengers saved a total of 18,336 animals’ lives! Competing shelters achieved this by adopting out or reuniting pets with their guardians. June’s impressive total means the shelters saved 4,380 more lives than during the same month last year.

The fun has just begun! The Challengers still have plenty of time to get creative and save even more animals during July and August. Stay tuned as the action unfolds during the remaining two months of the Challenge.

Goofy ASPCA adoptable Spike is sweet, playful and very affectionate. He’d love nothing more than a long game of fetch followed by a cuddle session with his special people, and he’s available right now. Recently, our photographer snapped Spike at play at our Adoption Center in NYC, and we wanted to share the results with you. Check out his album on Facebook.

Can’t adopt Spike? He still really needs your help. He’s a great dog who deserves a family, and we’d love it if you’d spread the word about him. Here’s why:

At the ASPCA, Spike is a staff favorite. Everyone’s had a chance to fall in love with him because he’s been with us for nearly two years—longer than any other dog currently in our care. Spike came to us through our Humane Law Enforcement department in 2011. Back then, Spike was emaciated and undersocialized, afraid of most new people and things.

Naturally, as soon as he was medically ready, our behavior counselors set to work socializing this special guy. They took him to new places, like the park and on busy streets. They introduced him to many volunteers so he could learn how great people can be. Before long, Spike blossomed into a dog who couldn’t wait to shower his favorite staffers with kisses.

Behavior counselors also taught Spike basic manners, and he eagerly showed us how smart he is, learning Sit and Drop It very quickly. Due to chronic lung disease, Spike needed an inhaler for a time, and he shocked behavior counselors with how fast he learned to use it. (Today, Spike no longer requires an inhaler.) Late last year, Spike became eligible for adoption. He’s been waiting for his family ever since.

So what gives? Why hasn’t Spike found a home? (We ask ourselves these questions all the time.) He’s shy with new people, and sometimes when Spike sees adopters through the glass of his habitat, he barks his unique, hoarse-sounding bark at them. Understandably, that can make some people feel unwelcome and move along to other dogs.

It’s a shame those folks miss out on Spike, though. He’d so like to get to know them better—just slowly. That’s why we’re asking you to share Spike with all your social networks. Together we have the power to write Spike’s happy ending. What are you waiting for?

Spike would love a teens-and-up home. He loves to play with other dogs, but can play a bit rough, so a resident dog would need to be up for that. To learn more about adopting Spike, check out his page.

Small animal internal medicine specialist Dr. Kristen Frank is a staff internist at the ASPCA Animal Hospital in Manhattan.

Treating pets, adoptable animals and those rescued by the ASPCA Anti-Cruelty Group, Dr. Frank regularly assists with abdominal ultrasounds and other procedures, checks in on emergency room patients, and helps monitor animals’ recovery from injury and disease. She also supervises ASPCA Animal Hospital interns.

Dr. Frank brought a wealth of experience with her when she joined the ASPCA Animal Hospital in 2012. After receiving her undergraduate and veterinary degrees at the University of Florida, Dr. Frank completed an internship at the New York City Animal Medical Center, followed by a three-year residency in internal medicine at Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists in Houston. Lucky for us, Dr. Frank decided to return to New York City, where she worked for two private veterinary practices before joining our team.

Dr. Frank chose internal medicine due to its wide scope. “I enjoy getting involved in cases and putting all the pieces of the puzzle together,” she says.

We asked Dr. Frank to tell us about a particularly rewarding recent case, and right away she thought of Markita, a sweet cat who had been returned to the ASPCA Adoption Center suffering from liver dysfunction. After examining Markita’s blood work and a series of ultrasounds, Dr. Frank and her team determined the cat’s issues stemmed from stress that prevented her from eating.

Today Markita is benefiting from a feeding tube and is well on her way to recovery. Soon, Dr. Frank says, Markita will return to the Adoption Center to find a loving home.

Pet parents in the New York City area can make appointments with Dr. Frank by calling (212) 876-7700, ext. 4200, or by emailing [email protected].

Yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives passed a modified Farm Bill that will affect animals in two distinct ways. On the plus side, the bill contains an important provision to strengthen laws against animal fighting. The provision, included through the leadership of Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Tom Marino (R-PA), would make attending an animal fight a federal offense and impose additional penalties for bringing a child to an animal fight. This provision is similar to the Animal Fighting SpectatorProhibition Act (S. 666/H.R. 366), standalone legislation with strong bipartisan support from 154 cosponsors in the House.

The ASPCA applauds Representatives McGovern and Marino for their continued leadership in strengthening laws to combat animal fighting and protect public safety.

On the negative side, the House-passed Farm Bill includes a provision introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-IA) that would weaken state animal cruelty laws across the country. This dangerous provision would prevent states from passing their own laws regarding the production of “agricultural products”—a term so broad that it could include farm animals and dogs in puppy mills. As a result, improved animal welfare standards at the state level could be negated if this provision is enacted.

The House Farm Bill must now be reconciled with the Senate-passed version. The Senate bill, passed last month, contains similar animal fighting language but does not contain the dangerous King provision. The ASPCA continues to work with Congress to make sure that the final Farm Bill eventually presented to the President includes the best possible protections for animals. Join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade to learn how you can help!

We recently told you that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved applications for horse slaughter inspections at Valley Meat Company LLC in Roswell, New Mexico, and Responsible Transportation in Sigourney, Iowa. The USDA is likely to also grant horse slaughter inspections at Rains Natural Meats plant in Gallatin, Missouri, in the coming days.

This week we learned that no horse slaughter plants will be granted inspections until at least July 29 as a result of a lawsuit filed against the USDA by several animal welfare organizations.

This lawsuit buys critical time for our horses. The Agriculture Appropriations bills, which contain language that would prevent horse slaughter in the U.S., are expected to pass in the coming months. We are seeing building momentum for the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act, which would prevent the slaughter of horses in the U.S., end the current export of American horses for slaughter abroad and protect consumers from unknowingly ingesting toxic horse meat.